Laminar magnetic covering tiles

ABSTRACT

A magnetic covering tile comprised of laminar materials covering surfaces such as floors, walls, ceilings, columns and furniture having a surface provided with a plate made of magnetic material for receiving the magnetic covering tile, wherein the magnetic tile comprises a top layer exposed to the users and a bottom magnetic layer affixed to the top layer, with an intermediate layer to provide structural stability to the tile.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the field of the construction,architecture and decoration activities by use of devices, apparatusesand assemblies for covering, coating, lining, dressing and the like, anykind of surfaces such as ceilings, floors, walls, columns, counters,furniture, including swimming pools and, more particularly the inventionrefers to a covering system in the form of plates, rolls, tiles, eitherof regular or irregular shapes, which are capable of being adhered bymagnetic force to the desired surface wherein the installation andremoval thereof is an easy and quick task and wherein the coatings orcoverings of the invention may be flexible or not and made of materialslike leather, wood, plastics, ceramics, which are applied onto severalsurfaces and under conditions in outer or visible surfaces includingunder water surfaces.

2. Description of the Prior Art

It is well known in the art the use of tiles for covering or coating orlining floors in houses, offices, apartments, or in any other placeswhere individuals have to walk and stay with safety and comfort.Generally such tiles are manufactured from rigid materials like cement,ceramics, glass and even wood and generally has a square or rectangularshape in a manner to cover an entire surface in a continuous basis.

It is also known that these tiles are applied and affixed onto thedesired surface by means of construction materials such as wet cementsand adhesives for which purpose the surface must be plain and even toguarantee that, once the cement or adhesive is set, the tiles remainpermanently affixed. Care must be taken to install the tiles correctly,particularly when a decorative pattern is pursued because if an error isdetected later the already affixed tiles can not be removed except bydestroying the same.

Similar situations are faced when covering or coating such “wet” rooms,such as bathrooms, toilets, laundry rooms and kitchens. These rooms aregenerally covered by ceramic tiles in the floor, walls and, includingceilings, some times with tiles of different colors or textures in orderto form decorative patterns. This installation is even more difficultbecause the wet adhesives that are employed must set properly andquickly in order to prevent the weight of the several tiles causes thecoating of a wall, for example, to fall down while the adhesive is notset yet. The use of coatings in walls also requires the use of woodstrips, papers and fabric in rolls with repetitive patterns includingresembling textures of other materials.

In all the above cases the coatings are based in installations by usingadhesives guarantying a permanent fixation of the tiles in the floor,walls and the like. Any decorative pattern can not be modified except byremoving the coating through destruction thereof.

Other “warm”, soft and flexible materials are more and more employed incoverings, particularly in in-door applications, even for improvingacoustical and thermal insulations, and comfort. However, since thesematerials are not rigid the same are applied in a manner like the wallpapers and carpets, however, this kind of installation does not allow toform decorative patterns like the tiles and to change easily the patternof the decorative arrangement.

One attempt to install such kind of coverings in walls and floors isdisclosed in US 2005/0276982 to Manchee, which discloses a coveringcomprised of a leather layer affixed, by an adhesive, to a flexiblelamina with magnetic properties. These tiles require of a magneticsubstrate, such as a metal plate placed onto the floor or affixed to thewalls or ceiling to be coated, in order that the magnetic flexiblelamina of the tile keeps the tile removably affixed to the plate andhence to the surface under covering. However the tiles like the one ofManchee, made of flexible materials like leather, fails to comply withthe needs of a coating as it will be explained below.

The leather lamina is adhered to the magnetic layer by an adhesivefixing both lamina and layer together. If the leather has not beentreated to be impervious the adhesive migrates through the leatheroutside the tile resulting in spoiled visual surfaces of the tiles. Evenwhen the leather is treated fluids coming from humidity in the surfaceunder covering may pass through cracks and fissures in the adhesivelayer and through the leather, affecting the adherence between theleather and the magnetic layer.

Direct union between the leather and the magnetic layer is subject tohigh shear forces from the individuals transit and movements offurniture and other elements over the covering. These forces even peelor remove the adhesive from the magnetic layer because both materials,namely the magnetic layer and the leather, have different and flatsurfaces wherein the adhesive can fail in retaining both surfacestogether. This peeling may be produced also under some conditions ofhigh temperatures and humidity, etc.

As it is disclosed in Manchee the covering and/or tile has a finishingat the edges thereof wherein the leather, the magnetic layer and theadhesive terminates together in an open edge thus offering a sideexposed to whether conditions, dust and the like. Once installed andafter some time when the properties of the adhesive have decay, what isaccelerated by the environment conditions, the edges of the upper layeror leather peels up and detaches from the magnetic layer. The appearanceof the covering is markedly affected. The humidity increases andaccelerates this peeling and detaching by expanding and/or decreasingthe volume of the leather. This effect is increased when recycledmaterials are employed. Thus, the contraction of the leather is capableof bending the magnetic layer and even detaching the tile from theferromagnetic plate arranged onto the floor, wall or any correspondingsurface.

These magnetic coverings are convenient as long as they are easilyremovable and re-installable however the people are somewhat reluctantto use these systems because the above mentioned drawbacks. The damageand impairment of the leather edges and adherence thereof onto themagnetic layer, particularly when the leather layer is directly adheredby adhesive to the magnetic layer, get worse and the tiles must bereplaced. One of the several reasons is the break down and fissures inthe adhesive layer due to the mentioned decay under natural conditionsand aging of the product. While Manchee makes particular reference tothe leather, these effects may appear in any material employed for theupper layer, such as any laminar flexible covering material.

Other attempts like the one disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,200comprise a floor covering system having a part of the floor covered bystationary ad permanently affixed tiles and a central sector covered byremovable magnetic tiles for advertising purposes, wherein the magnetictiles have their edges cut and open in direct contact with theenvironment and therefore exposed to humidity, dust, etc. with theresults that the edges of the upper layer, particularly leather, areaffected in a short time by detaching of the layers from the tileassembly.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,341,996 to William H. Jones et al. discloses vinylicfloor structures comprising a plurality of tiles with a lower magneticsurface to form floor structures, however there is not disclosure of anyflexible laminar material, like leather, that could be affixed as anouter or upper layer in an effective manner, by having protected edges,for example, in order to prevent the assembly from being detached,stripped or peeled.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,609,304 discloses the installation of panels, fabrics orpapers for covering walls, which are placed and maintained in theirposition by magnetic and ferrous stripes. U.S. Pat. No. 4,397,900discloses a carpet that is adhered to a metal surface by magnetic tapesincluded into a substrate of components serving to support the fiberscomprised in the outer surface of the carpet.

According to the above it is well known in the art the provision ofseveral types of coverings, linings and decorations that may beremovably affixed to a surface by means of ferromagnetic means but allof them are affected, as indicated, by detachment, stripping, peeling,crumpling, creasing, etc. due to the natural use of the floor, walls,humidity, dust, heat, cold, etc. which coverings are not capable ofbeing installed in several more aggressive environments such us underwater, particularly when soft, delicate materials, like leather, areemployed.

In view of the foregoing, it would be very convenient to have a newcovering, lining, decorative coating, and the like, for installationonto floors, walls, ceilings, furniture for decoration and any othersurfaces, capable of resisting a heavy transit of persons, including foruse under water in covering swimming pools, and which are prevented frombeing altered, detached, peeled, stripped, crumpled, etc., with nofailures in the edges or periphery, with a highest resistance to shearforces in the adhesive layer, between the upper layer and the magneticbottom layer, thus preventing the appearing of bubbles, peelings,crumples, etc.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a flexible and/orrigid covering for affixing to a surface, preferably a plain and flatsurface, or any other surface including irregular surfaces, curvedsurfaces, columns of small diameters, floors, walls, ceilings,furniture, furniture ornaments, the covering including an outer or upperlaminar material such plastics, wood sheets, leather, glass, ceramicsand other well known linings and materials.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a rigidand/or flexible coating or covering that may be affixed to a floor, wallor ceiling or other surfaces by a magnetic force, wherein the coveringincludes a flexible layer with magnetic properties capable of beingmagnetically and removably adhered to the floor, wall or ceiling whereina ferromagnetic substrate is previously arranged.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a flexibleand/or rigid covering, coating or lining having the periphery or edgesthereof protected to prevent damages therein particularly when it isinstalled.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a flexibleand/or rigid covering, coating or lining having an excellent structuralstability when subject to mechanical stresses and shear forces betweenthe upper or top layer, preferably made of leather, and the bottommagnetic layer, this stability and resistance being provided by aconstruction having at least one intermediate stabilizing laminarmaterial such as a textile layer or lamina.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a flexibleand/or rigid covering, coating or lining having at least oneintermediate stabilizing layer or lamina, preferably a textile lamina,which actuates preferably as an hydrophilic material and also forms asupport to enhance the uniform, entire and correct distribution orspreading of a adhesive material between the top layer and the magneticbottom layer.

It is even a further object of the present invention to provide aflexible and/or rigid covering, coating or lining, preferably in theform of a tile having a flexible top layer which is to remain exposed tothe view of the users, for decorative purposes, made of severalmaterials such as natural leather, synthetic leather, furs, plastics,resins, natural and synthetic lining, glass, ceramics, buildingmaterials, cementitious materials and metals.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide amagnetic tile for covering surfaces, the tile being of the type forfixing onto a ferromagnetic substrate which is arranged in the surfacesto be covered, wherein the tile comprises a top layer, a bottom magneticflexible layer, and at least one intermediate textile lamina withadhesive means to affix to both the top layer and the bottom magneticflexible layer, wherein the top layer has peripheral edges extendingdownwardly around corresponding edges of the bottom magnetic flexiblelayer.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of this inventionwill be better understood when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings and description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is illustrated by way of example in the followingdrawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows is perspective and exploded view of a tile according to apreferred embodiment of the invention, showing the three layer of thetile and the magnetic substrate to be installed in a surface where thetile is to be installed;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view and partially cross section of the tileof FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a cross section view of two tiles installed one adjacentthe other onto the magnetic substrate with the edges of the tiles beingin intimate contact to prevent the edges from being exposed to theenvironmental conditions, and also preventing the edges form moving upto peel or strip from the assembly, and

FIG. 4 shows is a cross section view similar to that one of FIG. 3 butof another embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Now referring in detail to the invention, the same refers to a newlining, coating or covering comprising decorative or lining materialssuch as leather, fabric and the like. The use of leather and fabric, aswell as other synthetic flexible materials for covering several surfacessuch as walls, floors and ceilings is associated to many difficultiescoming from the laminar and flexible nature of these materials,particularly the leather which is a natural material. The presentinvention facilitates the use of these materials by providing a newcover system, preferably comprised of tiles having a natural, flexibleand soft surface appearance and finishing such as the properties of theleather, also permitting the easy installation and removal of the coversystem in walls, floors, ceilings, furniture, columns and other surfacesby means of a magnetic force. The coverings of the invention even may beused in applications under wet conditions and water such as in swimmingpools, shower spaces, bathrooms, kitchens.

The covering of the invention, preferably in the form of a tile,comprises a multi-layer construction having and enhanced resistance andstability as compared to the prior art, particularly because of thestability provided by the new adhesive and construction properties ofthe multi-layer system and because of the way the periphery and edges ofthe tile are preserved against the surrounding aggressive conditions.Thus, the invention permits to conform coverings in floors, for example,wherein a high transit of individuals must be expected. The multi-layercovering is also apt for installation in walls, ceilings, furniture andmany surfaces, therefore, while the description is oriented to thecovering of floors and the tile is described with leather, the inventionmust not be construed as restricted to these applications.

Now making reference to FIG. 1, an exploded perspective view of acovering of the invention is shown, more particularly a multi-layer tileindicated by general reference 1, comprising at least one intermediatetextile lamina 2 interposed between a bottom magnetic flexible layer 3and a flexible top layer 4 made of any decorative, lining material, suchas leather, with the intermediate textile lamina 2 having adhesive toaffix to both top layer 4 and bottom magnetic flexible layer 3. Toplayer 4 has peripheral edges extending downwardly around correspondingedges 6 of the bottom magnetic flexible layer. The leather flexiblelayer 4 has a lip 5 extending around the entire periphery or perimetercovering the side edges 6 of magnetic layer 3. The closed periphery ofthe tile is conformed by the union between top layer 4 and magneticlayer 3 irrespective of how many intermediate layer are arranged betweenthem.

Bottom magnetic layer 3 is comprised of a support material such asrubber or thermoplastic material within which a plurality of smallmagnetic particles are provided to conform a magnetic flexible layerwith the property of adhering to ferromagnetic surfaces.

Top layer 4 is comprised of a covering layer that may comprise anyappropriate cover or decorative material, either flexible or not, whichin this description will be described as natural leather for a preferredembodiment of the invention. However, this material may be any othersynthetic material such as synthetic leather or any other naturalmaterial preferably capable of “copying” the shape of the surfaces towhich the covering is adhered. For example, the tiles of the inventionmay comprise also ceramic materials, glass, metals and others that arecapable of being adhered to the magnetic layer by the intermediatelamina of the invention.

As mentioned above, the direct adherence between two materials withdifferent properties, such as the leather layer 4 and the magnetic layer3, by a known adhesive leads to the generation of shear stresses andskidding between the layers due to different dilatation index, surfacetextures, flexibility, etc. All these factors cause the adhesive tobehave in different manners in connection to each of the layers. Thehumidity conditions and cold and heat variations, transit ofpedestrians, form of the surface to which the covering is installed,generate stresses causing the stripping of the layers and/or appearingof air or gas bubbles and bending of the top layer respect of themagnetic layer.

To overcame the above mentioned problems and any other related to thestructural stability of a tile, the present invention provides at leastone textile lamina 2 that may be impregnated in an adhesive, such as aresin, or any other gum or adhesive that is spread properly between thetop layer and the magnetic layer in a manner that a very cohesivemulti-laminar construction is obtained wherein top layer 4 is affixed tomagnetic layer 3 through the adhesive-impregnated textile lamina 2. As aresult, the tile assembly of the invention has an enhanced resistancebecause the textile lamina, preferably a fabric, actuates as a resistantstructure, providing cohesion, absorbing tensions and resisting therelative movements of the layers. In other words, the texture of thefabric, or the warp and weft thereof, is conveniently complemented withthe random fiber of the inner surface of the leather and the plain andsmooth surface of the magnetic layer. The fabric defines an effectivetransition between the both different surfaces to enhance the adherenteffect of the adhesive. The fabric also provides the assembly with atension resistance as well as it permits a high flexibility wherein thetile may accompany several shapes including different curve degrees andirregularities in the surface to be covered.

The affixing of two materials having different characteristics, such asthe top layer having an inner surface with fibers, pores, etc. typicalfrom natural leather and wood, and other materials having smoothsurfaces, such as the rubber and plastics for the magnetic layer, isbased in a very complex mechanism that fails in a short time causing thecollapse of the assembly. According to the invention, an additionaltextile material, namely lamina 2, has been provided to form atransition between the top layer and the magnetic layer enhancing thecohesion or adherence between the involved layers.

The fabric improves the spreading or distributions of the adhesive inorder to reach a uniform bonding. The warp and weft of the fabric formsa structure for the adhesive preventing the same from cracking andfissures generally appearing in common assemblies because of aging,shocks, humidity, temperature variations, etc. In addition, the fabricenhances the resistance and resiliency of the multi-layer assembly alsoproviding tenacity to the inner or lower surface of the leather,resisting compression forces and preventing deformation of the toplayer.

As it is shown in FIG. 2, the multi-layer covering 1 is conformed of theat least three layers affixed one to the other with edges 5 of top layer4 extending downwardly around corresponding edges of the fabric 2 andbottom magnetic flexible layer 3. Layer 2 covers at least an innersurface of the bottom magnetic flexible layer and extends to laterallycover the periphery of the bottom magnetic flexible layer. Thisstructure conforms a flexible resistant tile with the periphery thereofduly closed and sealed to prevent humidity and dust from entering themulti-layer assembly. Layer or lamina 2 may be a woven or non-wovenfabric that permits the adhesive to pass through the fabric in order toimpregnate the same and adhere to layers 3 and 4. Fabric 2 should havehydrophilic and oleophilic properties with the capacity of trapping andretaining liquids flowing through the leather by natural or migration oraccidental spilling. This prevents that the liquid may pass through anycracks or fissures in the adhesive and reach the magnetic layer thuspreserving the adhesiveness between leather 4 and magnetic layer 3.

The hydrophilic property of the fabric defines a humidity reservoirwithin the system that compensates the environmental variations. Inconventional tiles, these variations and changes cause the tilestructural deformations that spoil the leather appearance. Preferably,the top layer and the bottom magnetic flexible layer are imperviouswhereby the peripheral edges of the top layer extending downwardlyaround the corresponding edges of the bottom magnetic flexible layerform an impervious sealing perimeter.

Figure shows two tiles 1, 1′, in cross section, magnetically adheredonto a substrate, surface or ferromagnetic plate 7 which in turn isarranged, adhered to, or form part of, a wall, a floor, a ceiling,furniture or ornament. Lips 5, 5′ are arranged one against the other andpreserve the periphery of both tiles and hence of the entire assemblies.Intermediate fabric laminas 2, 2′, arranged between top layer 4 andmagnetic layer 3 are also preserved against the outer environment.Magnetic layer 3 is firmly retained onto substrate 7 by a convenientmagnetic force.

Lips 5, 5′, forming the perimeter edges of the tiles, entirely cover theperiphery of the underlying layers and are also adhered to the edges ofthe layers to guaranty an excellent cohesion and sealing. Consideringthat, also according to the invention, the leather is subject to atreatment to make it impervious, the free edge of the closing perimeterof the leather may be also impervious, by impregnation with properagents, without affecting the appearance of the visible main uppersurface.

Once the leather has been treated to be impervious as described above,and considering that the bottom magnetic layer is already impervious,the tile assembly will be entirely impervious and it is capable of beinginstalled in under water surfaces. The inventive tiles have beensuccessfully tested, and showed a high resistance, under watercontaining up to 3.5 grams of salt per liter of water, as in the seawater, what makes the tile to be capable of being used in boats also.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the invention wherein the samereference numbers have been maintained because the general multi-layerstructure of the tiles are the same except for the provision of acontinuous fabric lamina 2 that extends all along several tiles in orderto manufacture the tiles t form larger sheets or plates comprising aplurality of tiles to facilitate installation in large surfaces. Thesesheets or plates may be commercialized in rolls and the like andarranged according to pre-designed decorative patterns. The impregnationof edges 5, 5′ to make them impervious may be carried out like in theprevious described embodiment, or as an additional step in thecontinuous manufacture line.

In any of the above embodiments, the downwardly extending peripheraledges of the top layer of a tile is in contact with correspondingdownwardly extending peripheral edges of the top layers of adjacenttiles in a manner to form an impervious sealing perimeter for each tile.

The multi-layer tile of the present invention, having a flexible orrigid layer 4 and depending of the size thereof, may accommodate to anysurface, uniform or irregular, flat or curved, and will remain firm andresistant. These properties are kept also when the intermediate fabricis arranged, as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 4, continuous alongseveral tiles.

The enhanced flexibility and resistance of the tiles of the presentinvention permits the easy and quick installation and removal of thecoverings with minimum, if any, deleterious effects from environmentalconditions and with enhanced adherence between the layers of the tile.

While preferred embodiments of the present invention have beenillustrated and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in theart that various changes and modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention as defined in the appendedclaims.

1. A magnetic tile for covering surfaces, the tile being of the type forfixing onto a ferromagnetic substrate which is arranged in the surfacesto be covered, the tile comprising: a top layer, a bottom magneticflexible layer, and at least one intermediate textile lamina withadhesive means to affix to both the top layer and the bottom magneticflexible layer, wherein the top layer has peripheral edges extendingdownwardly around corresponding edges of the bottom magnetic flexiblelayer.
 2. The magnetic tile of claim 1, wherein the at least oneintermediate textile lamina is a fabric lamina covering at least aninner surface of the bottom magnetic flexible layer.
 3. The magnetictile of claim 1, wherein the at least one intermediate textile lamina isa fabric lamina extending to laterally cover the periphery of the bottommagnetic flexible layer.
 4. The magnetic tile of claim 1, wherein thetop layer comprises a flexible material selected from the groupconsisting of natural leather, synthetic leather, furs, plastics, resinsand natural and synthetic lining.
 5. The magnetic tile of claim 1,wherein the top layer comprises a flexible material selected from thegroup consisting of glass, ceramics, building materials, cementitiousmaterials, plastics, resins and metals.
 6. The magnetic tile of claim 1,wherein the top layer and the bottom magnetic flexible layer areimpervious whereby the peripheral edges of the top layer extendingdownwardly around the corresponding edges of the bottom magneticflexible layer form an impervious sealing perimeter.
 7. The magnetictile of claim 1, wherein the adhesive means is a resin.
 8. The magnetictile of claim 1, wherein the at least one intermediate textile lamina isa hydrophilic lamina selected from the group consisting of a woven andnon-woven fabrics.
 9. The magnetic tile of claim 1, wherein the toplayer is natural leather.
 10. A magnetic covering assembly comprising aplurality side-by-side arranged magnetic tiles of claim 1, whereindownwardly extending peripheral edges of the top layer of a tile is incontact with corresponding downwardly extending peripheral edges of thetop layers of adjacent tiles in a manner to form an impervious sealingperimeter for each tile.
 11. The magnetic covering assembly of claim 10,the at least one intermediate textile lamina with adhesive meanscomprises one continuous lamina for at least a plurality of tiles, thecontinuous lamina extending below the impervious sealing perimeter forthe tiles, formed by the downwardly extending peripheral edges of thetop layer of each tile of the plurality of tiles.
 12. The magneticcovering assembly of claim 10, wherein the at least one intermediatetextile lamina is a fabric lamina covering at least an inner surface ofthe bottom magnetic flexible layer.
 13. The magnetic tile of claim 10,wherein the at least one intermediate textile lamina is a fabric laminaextending to laterally cover the periphery of the bottom magneticflexible layer.
 14. The magnetic tile of claim 10, wherein the top layercomprises a flexible material selected from the group consisting ofnatural leather, synthetic leather, furs, plastics, resins and naturaland synthetic lining.
 15. The magnetic tile of claim 10, wherein the toplayer comprises a flexible material selected from the group consistingof glass, ceramics, building materials, cementitious materials,plastics, resins and metals.
 16. The magnetic tile of claim 10, whereinthe top layer and the bottom magnetic flexible layer are imperviouswhereby the peripheral edges of the top layer extending downwardlyaround the corresponding edges of the top layer and the bottom magneticflexible layer and the contact between the top layers of adjacent tilesform the impervious sealing perimeter.
 17. The magnetic coveringassembly of claim 10, wherein the adhesive means is a resin.
 18. Themagnetic covering assembly of claim 10, wherein the at least oneintermediate textile lamina is selected from the group consisting of awoven and non-woven fabrics.
 19. The magnetic covering assembly of claim10, wherein the top layer is natural leather.